Car giants Nissan will decide next month on whether to produce the next Qashqai SUV model at its Sunderland plant following the UK’s decision to leave the European Union, its Chief Executive Carlos Ghosn said.

Its chief executive, Carlos Ghosn, has announced it will decide next month whether or not to produce its next Qashqai SUV model at its Sunderland plant .

If the UK had voted to stay in the Europe Union on June 23, most believe that decision would have been a formality.

The Wearside plant is one of the region’s biggest employers with around 7,000 staff, while tens of thousands more work for companies that provide components and parts for it.

Sharon Hodgson , MP for Washington and Sunderland West, in whose constituency the Nissan factory is based, said: “The decision on whether or not to produce the new Qashqai SUV at the Sunderland Nissan factory will be an important indicator of Nissan’s confidence in our country’s economy as we begin the process of exiting the European Union, especially when questions remain unanswered about our future access to the single market.

“The Government have said they will do everything they can to support Nissan, especially post-Brexit, but when this decision is made it will be a clear indicator of Nissan’s confidence to invest in our region’s economy and support the 48,000 jobs based here in the North-East and across the country that depend upon the success of the factory.”

Nissan chief executive Carlos Ghosn (Image: David Parry/PA Wire)

Mr Ghosn’s comments follow his meeting last week with Prime Minister Theresa May in which he warned that leaving the EU could halt investment on Wearside.

The factory, which builds the popular Qashqai SUV and many other models, is Britain’s largest car plant, producing 475,000 vehicles last year, of which about 60% were Qashqais.

Mr Ghosn said: “We’re not asking for any advantage [from the British Government] but we don’t want to lose any competitiveness no matter what the discussions.”

He said he had received reassurance that the British government would be “extremely cautious” in “preserving the competitiveness” of the Sunderland plant.

“As long as I have this guarantee ... I can look at the future of Sunderland with more ease,” he said.

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This was despite concerns expressed in the campaign about the future of Nissan which were dismissed by Brexiteers as part of ‘Project Fear’.

However Ross Smith, of the North East of England Chamber of Commerce, remained hopeful.

He said: “Nissan has repeatedly re-invested in the Sunderland plant, which says a huge amount about the quality of the local management team, the workforce and excellent supply chain in North East England.

“None of those things have changed, so if the external environment is right there remains a strong case for further models to come here. It would clearly be a big fillip for the region if that happens.”

Coun Paul Watson, leader of Sunderland City Council , said: “Nissan is vitally important, not just to our city and the wider region but the whole of the UK as it impacts on 40,000 jobs nationally.

“We very much hope that last week’s reassurances by the Prime Minister that the UK remains a competitive place to do business will be a deciding factor in Nissan’s decision.”